


Operation Smile

by Nativestar



Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Episode: s01e01 The Rising, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:35:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24233695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nativestar/pseuds/Nativestar
Summary: After everything that happened at Lake Como, Bozer can't remember the last time Mac smiled.  (Otherwise known as 'Five times Jack and Bozer got Mac to smile'.)
Comments: 26
Kudos: 34





	Operation Smile

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by Bozer's line in the pilot "It'll put a smile on your face." which made me wonder what else he'd done to try and get Mac to smile.

Not long after Jack and Mac returned from Italy, Bozer cornered Jack in the kitchen. Mac was sound asleep on the sofa thanks to the heavy duty pain mediation he was on. By mutual agreement Bozer and Jack had teamed up to watch out for their boy and they’d found the drugged naps were the best times to talk.

Bozer had to admit he was a little concerned that Mac seemed to spend more time asleep than awake these days. He’d also never seen Mac so compliant with taking pain medication. But then again, Jack had taken him aside and warned him that the surgery Mac had needed to fix his dislocated shoulder had been serious and that despite whatever Mac might claim, it would take him some time to recover from it. So for the moment he figured sleep might be the best thing for his best friend.

He was, however, still concerned about Mac’s mental well-being. Mac hadn’t spoken about Nikki at all to Bozer since he’d been home. He hadn’t said much at all to be honest, using pain or tiredness as an excuse to cut off conversations before they could veer onto painful topics.

“I haven’t even seen him cry.” Bozer admitted. “Not that I _want_ him to, or that he has to.” He quickly added.

Jack nodded. “He did at the memorial service, but yeah, not since.”

“He’s keeping everything bottled up. I hated it when he did this growing up. I can’t even remember the last time I saw him smile. Before that business trip, that’s for sure.”

“Well, we can’t make him cry, Bozer. Or make him open up to us, he’ll do that when he’s ready. But we can probably work on the smiling thing.”

And that was how ‘Operation Put A Smile On Mac’s Face’ was born.

* * *

They quickly realised they had different strengths when it came to Operation ~~PASOMF~~ SMILE ( _I’m not calling it PASOMF,_ _its a terrible acronym, Jack_ ).

Jack was very good at knowing what to _say_ to coax a smile out of Mac.

Bozer was very good at knowing what _things_ would put a smile on his face.

“I know what Mac likes too.”

“We grew up together, Jack. You got to know him in Afghanistan. Its harder to know what he does or doesn’t like when most of the things aren’t even there.”

Bozer also quickly realised there wasn’t much that Jack wouldn’t agree to if it was for Mac’s benefit. And yes, Bozer was fully prepared to take advantage of that, _especially_ if it was was for Mac’s benefit.

* * *

“Do I really have to do this?”

“Yes!” Mac and Bozer answered in unison.

Mac was on the sofa propped up against the arm with a multitude of pillows. He was trying to keep a straight face but his eyes gave away his amusement.

“Why can’t Mac do it?”

“Because he’s injured.” Bozer explained, _again_.

  
“Yeah, but the space lizard has t-rex arms, he’d barely need to move them let alone lift them.”

“Jack, just come out. You’re wearing a lizard mask--”

“--space lizard.” Mac interrupted.

“A _space_ lizard mask. No one is even going to know it’s you.”

  
“I’ll know!” Came back Jack’s indignant shout.

Bozer raised his hands in frustration. Mac shifted on the sofa so he was sitting up a bit more and raised a finger, silently asking Bozer to wait a second. _I got this._

“All right, Jack. You win, I’ll do it. Just gotta take this sling off.” Without moving or even touching his sling, Mac grunted and sucked in an audible breath.

“Don’t you dare take that sling off, Mac!” Jack said stomping down the hallway and around the corner. The space lizard looked at Mac and his untouched sling and Mac could tell by the way it cocked its head that underneath Jack was scowling at him. He bit his lip to stop himself laughing, Bozer, standing behind the camera showed no such self restraint.

Jack looked ridiculous in the mask, wearing a bright green onesie with prosthetic claws and feet. Mac had no idea how Bozer had even managed to talk Jack into putting it on and for the first time was grateful that his injury had sidelined him.

“That’s great, Jack.” Bozer praised. “It looks great on camera, but you need to hold your arms in, remember, like a t-rex. Otherwise I’m not going to be able to get the CGI right.” Bozer directed.

Jack didn’t move for a moment. Without facial expressions it was difficult to figure out what he was thinking. Then he brought his arms in and walked slowly towards the camera.

“Okay, I like what I’m seeing. But you’re walking like a human. You need to think about your movement, Jack. How would a giant lizard walk?”

“I don’t know, Bozer. Because I’ve never seen a giant walking lizard.”

“Okay, that’s a good point, but use your imagination, Jack.” Bozer stepped in front of the camera. “Try something like this.” He imitated a slow, lumbering walk across the lounge.

“Like this?”

Jack gave it a go, but he looked more like a zombie. Bozer demonstrated again and Jack walked like a zombie again. As the tension between the two rose, Mac decided he’d better intervene before someone got hurt.

“Why don’t you test what I spent all of yesterday working on?” he suggested.

“Oh yeah,” Jack said, brightening up. “Mr Space-Rex’s secret weapon.”

“The acid-slime.” Bozer said.

“Now it’s not really acid is it, Mac?”

“No, it’s perfectly safe. You could even eat it, although I wouldn’t, it’s sickly sweet.”

“Okay, and I just activate it with my hand?”

“Yeah, the trigger is in your right claw, just squeeze your thumb and index finger together.” Mac mimed the motion with his good arm.

“All right. You getting this on camera, Bozer?”

“Yep. So here’s the scenario. The space lizard defends itself with an acid slime that fires from its mouth. So why don’t you walk in, I’ll pretend to jump out at you and you trigger it.”

They both took up their positions at opposite ends of the room, then Jack lumbered back in, looking a bit less like a zombie this time, Bozer jumped, he pushed the trigger and--

Nothing happened.

There was silence.

Then.

“Mac!”

“What? What went wrong?” Mac asked, raising himself off the pillows again.

Jack pulled the mask off and green, foaming, slime fell out on the floor. It coated Jack from the shoulders down and his face was lost in bubbles of green goo. Jack spluttered and wiped a handful away from his face.

“Sorry, Jack. Something must have gotten blocked.” Mac could barely hold back laughter. Jack glared at Mac and stepped towards him. Mac shied away assuming Jack was going to share the slimy mess with him, but then Jack’s tongue dipped out and tentatively took a taste, stopping him in his tracks.

“This is actually kinda nice, Mac. What’d you put in it?”

Bozer stepped up and swiped a finger of goo from Jack’s shoulder.

“He’s right, its like a liquid candyfloss.”

Jack turned on him, “Don’t you go licking me!”

Bozer backed off raising his hands, before darting forward to scoop up some more slime in his hand. Jack started to clumsily chase him, threatening a very messy bear hug when he got his hands on him. Bozer taunting Jack while he staggered around covered in green slime, wearing oversized lizard feet was hands down the funniest sight Mac had ever seen in his lounge. The laughter finally erupted, and even though it hurt his chest Mac couldn’t help it. He laughed so hard he had to wipe the tears away.

* * *

Later, after much debate, Bozer conceded that Jack had just as much input in Mac’s laughter as Bozer had for coming up with the idea of asking Mac to make a slime projecting mechanism for his mask.

They called it a draw.


End file.
